World Cup: Group F

Sorry to be late with the Group F and G previews, but I'll have them out tonight as well as Group H before they start play. Here we go:

Italy
Nickname: Azzurri (Psssst they wear blue)
Abbreviation: ITA
Last World Cup: 2006: The Italians took home the trophy with some luck and a solid defense. And won yours truly $500.
How did they get here?: Marcello Lippi came back and led them to seven wins and three draws in an undefeated run to take Group 8.
Manager: Marcello Lippi, who was called back into action as Roberto Donadoni, the former Italian legend, was unable to do jack squat in Euro 08. Also, check these lookalikes: ex-coach Roberto Donadoni and Glen Coyne of the Flaming Lips:
Donadoni: here.
Mr. Coyne: there.
NO ONE DENIES THIS
Player to watch: Fabio Cannavaro. The diminutive defender is somehow able to maintain control as a centerback, which is crazy since he is only 5'9" and usually marking guys that tower over him. He is moving to the United Arab Emirates after the Cup to play with Al-Ahti, and is very likely to retire from international duty following this tournament to let some new blood into the Italian system.
Player not to watch: Mario Balotelli, Inter Milan. The striker of Ghanian descent is a beast, but he is still a bit of a wild card in the head. He has great command of the game, but when things don't go his way, he sometimes throws tantrums, making Lippi leave him off the roster.
Prediction: There is a lot of old blood on this team, with three players at 23 being the youngest of the group. There may be a completely different look to this team when 2014 rolls around, but for now, experience in such a shallow group will get them to the knockout stage. After that? Not far at all.

Paraguay
Nickname: La Albirroja (OMG THEY WARE WITE!!!111!)
Abbreviation: PAR
Last World Cup: 2006: They were overshadowed by the Soca Warriors of Trinidad and Tobago, but finished above them at 3rd with one win over T&T and two 1-0 losses to Sweden and England respectively.
How did they get here?: Comfortably tied for second with Chile behind Brazil, and even beat both Argentina and Brazil during their qualification run.
Manager: Argentine Gerardo Martino, who won four Paraguayan League titles before being hired for this gig.
Player to watch: Roque Santa Cruz, Manchester City, the only dude on the team with a double-digit goal tally in international play. He will be called upon to get the ball in the net for this team just as he was relied upon during his time with Blackburn in England. I wonder how weird the adjustment is for guys to go from all-star teams like Manchester City or Chelsea or Real Madrid to being a team relying on one player. When that safety net is gone, what happens? We'll see if Santa Cruz can adjust.
Player not to watch: Salvador Cabanas. The striker is the only other player on active duty with a double-digit tally, and could have been valuable working with Santa Cruz, but instead will be staying home.
Prediction: If the Paraguayans can get up and down and work the Italians for a point or more, they will have a chance at the second round depending on their performance against Slovakia (more on them lately).

Slovakia
Nickname: The Fighting Jondas (no idea and don't care)
Abbreviation: SVK
Last World Cup: 1990 as part of Czechoslovakia: This is the first time Slovakia has gotten into the World Cup without the aid of those damn Czechs. In 1990, they reached the quarterfinals. Their path included a 5-1 pounding of the United States and a 1-0 loss to eventual champions West Germany. Fucking commies.
How did they get here?: Dominated Group 3 with Slovenia. Also got to put the whooping strap on former country-partner Czech Republic and watch them NOT qualify. That in itself is a gift.
Manager: Vladimir Weiss. I previously said that only the nepotism of the US would have a coach put his son in the starting lineup of the World Cup. Boy was I wrong. Vladimir will very likely putting son Vladimir in the lineup. Then again, his son is 20 and already got signed by Manchester City, so he may actually be pretty good. His father played, also Vladimir (THE FUCK?!?!), played for Czechoslovakia back in the day...of the Iron Curtain.
Player to watch: Stanislav Sestak, Bochum. Though he may be paying his campaign workers less than minimum wage while paying his relatives huge salaries during his campaign...oh, sorry, this is a striker, not a Senate candidate from Pennsylvania. Sestak will see significant time and will probably have to shoulder some goal-scoring load for this defensively-focused team.
Player not to watch: Defensive midfielder Miroslav Karhan, who has the most caps all-time for Slovakia, and will sit at home for their first World Cup trip. That has to suck.
Prediction: Playing for second with Paraguay and with opposing styles, if the defense holds we'll see them in the knockout round.

New Zealand
Nickname: Soccer Roos

...errr my bad, All Whites. Doesn't make people soil themselves the same way the All Blacks of rugby do, probably because of this:

Abbreviation: NZL
Last World Cup: 1982: Outscored 12-2 by Scotland, Brazil, and the Soviet Union in group play. Oh, happy memories.
How did they get here?: They won Oceania, but that don't mean shit, so they beat Bahrain in a playoff to get to South Africa
Manager: Ricki Herbert. Not good when your male coach spells his name like Ricki Lake. He once played for Wolverhampton.
Player to watch: Ryan Nelsen, a defender who captains both the All-Whites and Blackburn Rovers of the EPL. Nelsen will need to keep the defense steady if New Zealand wants to make any noise in this tournament. Did I also mention he went to Stanford?
Player not to watch: Christian Bouckenooghe, mostly because he is half-Maori, and maybe they'd do the haka if he were there.
Prediction: Not going to get out of the group. Just too weak and not the same skill level as the other members of the group.